Having been in birth since 1982, I am often asked to share my birth stories. I am finally writing them down.
Please, if you are pregnant or nursing, use your discretion when reading. Not every story is perfect, but I write real life... as it happened, not as I would create it now. These stories have made me who I am... as a woman, a mother, a doula, and a midwife.

Monday, June 25, 2007

Garden Laboring

Mom at 7+ centimeters, walking in the Meditation Garden at the hospital. She is working towards a VBAC, has had AROM, has a saline lock in place on her left wrist, is wearing a Telemetry Unit (see it on the lower right of the picture, hanging like a purse off her shoulder) that continuously monitors the baby via the external belts as if she were sitting in the bed and is enjoying the company of her family, her monitrice, her husband, her doctor and the sun, wind and sky.

They wanted to put her in a hospital gown when we first got there, but she had that cute black top on. I suggested a sarong, but she didn't have one. I carry two so's I can help with mal-positioned babies during labor, so offered her the Mickey one or the non-Mickey one; she chose the non-Mickey one. She looks so much better dressed like this than in a hospital gown, don't you think? All women should dress in tank tops and sarongs in labor. Let's make hospitals carry sarongs, eh?

The laboring mom and me, the Tie-Dyed Monitrice.

The laboring mom and Dr. Wonderful! He's actually hugging the mom - and hugged all of us several times. He isn't afraid of getting "too attached" to his patients, obviously. I honestly believe he is a midwife in obstetrician's clothing. I am so blessed to know this man!

Mom did have a successful VBAC - 10 hours after her AROM with about an hour of pushing. She was told she would never be able to push out any sized child, yet pushed out an Occiput Posterior baby without any bony damage to either herself or her baby. Imagine that! Don't you love when women prove OBs wrong?!

About Me

A midwife and photographer, I criss-cross lines between activism for birth abused women, writing, my inner struggles and continually re-defining who I am as a woman, partner, mother and midwife. I have so much still to learn.
Email me at NavelgazingMidwife@gmail.com